An opposition protester reacts as she hears rumours that opposition leader Raila Odinga was coming to visit them, causing thousands to turn out on the streets but which later turned out to be untrue, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Kenyan riot police talk to a woman as they commence a patrol at dusk in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An opposition supporter uses a slingshot to launch stones at police during clashes in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Thousands of supporters turn out after hearing rumours that opposition leader Raila Odinga was coming to visit them, which later turned out to be untrue, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An opposition supporter holds a machete during a rally in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Opposition supporters carry rocks to form a barricade to prevent police vehicles from passing along the road, during clashes in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

An opposition supporter reacts as he hears rumors that opposition leader Raila Odinga was coming to visit them, causing thousands to turn out on the streets, but which later turned out to be untrue, in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition supporters march after hearing rumors that opposition leader Raila Odinga was coming to visit them, causing thousands to turn out on the streets, but which later turned out to be untrue, in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Stone-throwing opposition protesters take a break to eat fried meat at a roadside barbecue stand that continued operating in the middle of clashes with police firing tear gas, in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition supporters carrying rocks and sticks try to march down a road leading out of Kawangware slum at dusk, before being pushed back by police firing tear gas, in Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition supporters take to the street in Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Opposition supporter holding a machete picks up a stone to throw at riot police in Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Opposition supporter sheds tears after clashes in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Opposition supporters carrying rocks and a machetes as they try to march down a road leading out of the Kawangware area, before being pushed back by police firing tear gas, in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition supporters gather around a burning barricade during clashes with police in the Kawangware slum of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

A man is injured by a rock thrown by opposition supporters, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Opposition supporters throwing stones flee as police fire tear gas during clashes in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition protesters throw rocks in an attempt to gain entry and loot a shop, before police fired tear gas to drive them away, during clashes with police in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Opposition supporters attempt to break the door of a shop in order to loot it, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A shop owner holds a machete and a rock after opposition supporters attempted to break into his shop in order to loot it, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Opposition protesters throw rocks in an attempt to gain entry and loot a shop, before police fired tear gas to drive them away, during clashes with police in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were generally calmer Saturday, though clashes between supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga and police continued in Kawangware, and it was still not clear when the presidential election, a rerun of the flawed vote in August, would be over. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

A policeman runs next to a barricade set by opposition protesters, in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Passers by inspect damage through holes in a fence of shops damaged by fire during clashes in the Kawangware area of Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred.(AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Opposition supporters attempt to break the door of a shop in order to loot it, in the slum of Kawangware in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A passer by inspects damage through a hole in a fence of shops damaged by fire during clashes in the slum of Kawangware in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Kenyan opposition areas were calmer Saturday, a day after the country's election commission postponed voting in four restive counties where deadly clashes between police and protesters have occurred. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Kenya's vote dispute simmers, though opposition areas calmer

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and TOM ODULA

Oct. 28, 2017

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's second presidential election since August remained in limbo on Saturday as the election commission said it was working on a "way forward" in opposition areas where voting has been postponed because of unrest. While most of the country was calm, police used tear gas to disperse crowds in a Nairobi slum where anger toward the government runs deep.

It was unclear when tensions over the election, a rerun of the nullified August vote, would subside. Opposition leader Raila Odinga boycotted the vote on Thursday, citing a lack of election reforms. Tallies from many polling stations, published on the election commission's website, showed President Uhuru Kenyatta with vast leads over Odinga and six other candidates.

However, any decision to declare Kenyatta the winner would likely intensify grievances among opposition supporters in the East African country with a reputation for stability and economic growth. Kenya is again struggling with divisions fueled by ethnic-based politics. The voting delays in four counties where opposition supporters have fought with police have complicated hopes for the country's troubled democracy.

The election commission will provide an update Sunday "on the way forward" in two dozen constituencies where voting did not occur, commission chief Wafula Chebukati said.

"We have the materials ready but we can't do this alone. It's a security issue," Chebukati said. "We cannot put the lives of our staff at risk."

The election commission also revised its turnout from Thursday's election to 48 percent of 19.6 million registered voters, saying an earlier estimate of about one-third was not based on complete data. The opposition boycott sharply reduced turnout in comparison to the Aug. 8 vote, when nearly 80 percent of registered voters participated.

The Supreme Court nullified the August vote because of irregularities — the first time a court in Africa had overturned a presidential election. Odinga, whose legal challenge led to the ruling, withdrew from the new election, saying the process was not credible because of the lack of electoral reforms.

The streets of Kisumu, Kenya's third-largest city and an opposition stronghold, as well as several Nairobi slums were largely quiet on Saturday, though police clashed with crowds in the capital's Kawangware slum.

Young men in Kawangware, some of them carrying machetes, taunted the police and ran for cover. "No Raila, no peace," some chanted.

"I don't see this ending soon," said one supporter, Paul Maumo. He accused the election commission of staging a fraudulent vote.

At least six people have died in violence linked to the latest vote.

Kenyatta, who got 54 percent of the vote in August, is from the Kikuyu community and has talked about the need to dispel ethnic loyalties in politics. Odinga, who got nearly 45 percent in the earlier election, is a Luo.

Some Kenyans have raised concerns about the way Thursday's election was conducted. The electoral commission announced that 35,564 polling stations opened on voting day, but the commission chairman later tweeted they had received results forms from 36,796 polling stations.

Commission spokesman Andrew Limo said some electronic transmission kits fail to send a signal to show the polling station has opened but still transmit results. The commission has stopped updating results that were transmitted electronically and will announce only the final ones, he said.

International election observers had a much lower profile in Thursday's election, reflecting their concern about opposition hostility toward their generally positive reviews of voting day in August. Observers had urged anyone with grievances to address them through legal channels.

Acting on behalf of the African Union, former South African President Thabo Mbeki was the only high-profile election observer during Thursday's vote. Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was in Kenya in August as an observer for The Carter Center, did not return this time.